英语柏科Aspedia- Idioms and Phrases
同学们,欢迎来到 英语柏科 Aspedia 栏目! 在这个栏目中,每周Hugo老师会带大家一起学习一个英语的习语,从词源典故到例句解析,甚至还有最后的小测试,帮助大家来积累更多更地道的英语习语!
●今日习语– Idiom Today
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Beard the Lion (in His Den or lair)
“在巢穴中揪狮子的胡子”
●词源典故Etymology and Origin——————————————————————————————————
该词组语出《圣经.塞缪尔记》上卷第17章、第35节。年轻的牧羊人戴维夸耀他曾从狮口下救出一只羊羔。当狮子想要攻击他时,他一把揪住了狮子的胡须并杀死了它。这个年轻人后来又战胜了《圣经》里最坏的巨人之一,最终成为以色列的国王。(参考李炜的《咬文嚼字学英语》)
于是该词就用来形容“挑战危险或有权有势者”,中文里意思较近的词语有“太岁头上动土”、“老虎嘴里拔牙”;也能比喻敢于在某人的专属领域里挑战权威。
●例句和翻译Examples and Translation——————————————————————————————————
1. A risk very often doesn’t turn out well, but if you don’t face it and beard the lion in his den, you will never achieve the success you truly desire. (Farlex Dictionary of Idioms)
风险往往不会有好的结果,但如果你不面对它,敢于从老虎嘴里拔牙,你就永远无法获得想要的成功。
2. I spent a week trying to reach Mr. Toynbee by phone, but his secretary always told me he was too busy to talk to me. Today I walked straight into his office and bearded the lion in his den. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary)
我花了整整一星期时间试图通过电话联系上汤因比先生,但他的秘书总是告诉我他太忙了,没空跟我说话。于是,今天我径直走进他的办公室,直接面对他。
●延伸See Also …——————————————————————————————————
Bell the cat (tying the bell on the cat),意为“给猫戴上铃铛”,源自《伊索寓言》。话说一群老鼠开会商议如何对付它们的天敌——猫,其中一个老鼠就提议给猫脖子系上铃铛,这样就可以在猫走近时及时逃跑。所有老鼠都觉得这个主意好,直到一只老鼠问到,那谁愿意去做这件事呢。结果其他老鼠都纷纷提出借口。这个故事说明了,遇到问题和困难时,提出不可行的解决方案总是容易的,然而真正要实施时,人们却逃之夭夭。这个词组也常以Who’s to bell the cat?的问题出现在日常表达中。
●例子Example——————————————————————————————————
Someone has to bell the cat and tell the boss we aren’t going to come in to work on Saturdays anymore. (Farlex Dictionary of Idioms)
必须得有人挺身而出跟老板说,我们再也不要周六上班了。
●练习Exercise——————————————————————————————————
请结合我们今天学的短语,把以下句子翻译成中文。
"Down with the weekend homework! " shouted all the boys. However, none of them dared to bell the cat and say that to the teacher.I"m going to beard the lion in his den tomorrow asking my boss why he has not increased my salary.“So, to put it in a nutshell, you must grab the bull by the horns and beard the lion in his den.” He spoke.
同学们可以留言,看看你的答案是否准确哦!